A Little Goes a Long Way!

A few weeks ago I was at the high school track and before our practice began, I took a moment to look at the school’s all-time records. Prior to this moment, I was working under the assumption that most of these numbers would be from the last decade or two but upon examination I realized my speculation was flawed. There were some that were current but on the whole, most of these records are from 3, 4 and even 5 decades ago. With all the knowledge and advancements in training methods, this information had me perplexed. I began to think about why and I came to the conclusion that I just don’t think kids are as healthy today as they were in decades past. I heard a coach in his sixties say take a look at my yearbook and compare it to the yearbooks of today. We were just more fit back then. 

So, like with all new ideas, we have to test them. In between events at one of our meets I start talking with other coaches about the idea and most agreed. This talk led to discussing the differences in the current school compared to when they grew up. Children today spend roughly 8 hours per day sedentary with two-thirds of them not getting the recommended minimum of 60 minutes of active play. In addition, children are less likely to walk, bike, or skate to school or other activities than they were in the 1970’s. This is problematic in regards to the health of our country because unhealthy children have a very high likelihood of becoming unhealthy adults. The National Institute of Health released the following data to support that last point: Around 55% of obese children go on to be obese in adolescence, around 80% of obese adolescents will still be obese in adulthood and around 70% will be obese over age 30. In addition to the issue of obesity, the effects of sedentary behavior in children are as follows: weakened muscles and bones, slower metabolism, obesity, shorter life expectancy, depression, anxiety and earlier onset of adult-type health conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. All no bueno!

Now, as we move on to adulthood, things do not improve and in fact, they worsen. The current state of health in our country has us ranked 66th out of 195 in the Global Health Index. This metric measures healthy life expectancy, blood pressure, blood glucose (which indicates diabetes risk), obesity, depression, happiness, alcohol use, tobacco use, inactivity (or lack of exercise), and government spending on healthcare. The cause of this has some type of compound effect. It seems that what begins in childhood snowballs with each decade and as we move through life, we find ourselves in a situation where we ask: what happened? 

Now, what I am going to propose here is geared towards those who work or live in an environment that has them sitting for the national average for adults of 10+ hours per day. This is nothing earth shattering: we literally need to move more. Research has found that moderate to vigorous activity is the most beneficial for our health and that sitting is the worst. With this information, they decided to create a model that would swap one behavior for another. Replacing just five minutes of sitting with a moderate activity like brisk walking had tangible effects in areas like heart health. Now of course, extending that time period to 30 minutes is even better so if you can sprinkle in multiple bouts of five minute sessions or one long session, you will see greater improvements. Now the question becomes, how do we add five minutes of movement into our current routine? 

Well, I came across a method known as the Pomodoro Technique and it just might be the answer. For every 25 minutes of sitting, you get up and move for five. Following this protocol obviously encourages more movement, gives you a short mental break from the task, and lowers blood glucose and insulin levels. Personally, when I have these short breaks, it allows my mind to process what I have just done and I typically come back to the work ready to go with new ideas and/or revisions. The Pomodoro Technique has six steps:

1. Decide on which work task has to be done.
   
2. Set the Pomodoro timer for 25 minutes.
   
3. Work with singular focus on the task until the timer goes off.
   
4. Take a short 5 minute movement break then return to your work station.
   
5. Go back to Step 2 and repeat until you complete four pomodoros.

After four pomodoros are done, take a long break (typically 20 to 30 minutes) instead of a short break. Once the long break is finished, return to step 2.

If that idea doesn’t work for you, here are a few other ideas to get you off your butt!
Get a headset and take calls or conference calls while walking. This has helped me not only move but pass the time if it is a long call or if I am nervous about discussing the topic, some movement eases the nerves. 

1. Talk with people in person whenever possible. During your breaks, get up and walk over to talk belly to belly as it gets you up and also leads to better communicating.
   
2. Drink lots of water, tea and/or coffee. More fluids equals more walking to the bathroom. 
   
3. Use the stairs. Stairs are difficult on the heart and lower body muscles but five minutes hoofing it up and down can work wonders. 
   
4. Leave five minutes during your lunch break for a walk. An added perk, a short walk after eating also regulates blood sugar and insulin levels. A two for one! 
   
5. A walking pad or treadmill has been great for those of us that work from home. Marisa picked one up a few months ago and it provides an opportunity to get some movement in as you work or during your breaks. Convenience is key here as all you have to do is press a button and you are good to go! 

Chris Fluck